The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1887-04-02
The Feeding Experiment ut Superior
From The Farmer DIST. Paul.

Inc dI ilCI has lltVueitiy dlNo-
Gated the plan of bringing cattle, after
the frames were made on the Montana
ranges, to Minnesota to be ripened by
the winter feeding on the refuse of oar
mills and the oats, barley and roots
produced so easily and in large guam
titles on our farms. This plan would
surely be profitable to both sections,
giving Northwestern farmers employ
ment during the winter and profit
able market for their field products
in a concentrated form, and the ranch
men one years saving in the maturity
of the animal and an increased price
per pound in the carcass furnished the
farmer from the ranges Knowing
that an experiment of this kind has
been carried on near Superior, in
Wisconsin, a member of the editorial
staff was sent to visit these yards and
ascertain the condition of the cattle
being so fed.
Here three years ago the Powder
River Cattle Co. bought 1000 acres
of land, covered by dense tangle of
dead pines SO inaccessible that the out
fit for commencing operations had to
be carried in on foot Now 600 acres
of the reddish clay loan is cleared,
in the center of which are the feeding
barns of the company. Morton Frew-
en- is the leading spirit of the enter
prise, while the company is principally
an English one, and Mr. Horace
Plunkett with office at Superior is
manager of all the ranches of the
company in America.
Large low barns are used, in which to
feed the cattle, which are kept con
stantly in stanchions, 100 head to the
row across the barn, with passage ways
on the side Of each row for feeding
purposes, removal of manure, etc.
The first and second winters 600 head
were fattened, but the past summer in
Montana was 50 hot and dry that gras.
was SO short on the company's ranges,
and 2,6G0 head are now going through
the fattening process. Two thousand
and one hundred head Of these, when
brought from the vicinity of Fargo
Oak, where they had been taken
earlier from Montana on the 10Th OF
November, were animals picked from
the herd because it was thought that
they could not pull through the win.
ter and were very poor and weak when
placed in the stanchoins. They have
taken on flesh so rapidly that many
are now in fine form for market.
The food given is damaged corr
aud wheat from burned elevator il
Duluth, screening and elevator refuse
from the same source, prairie hay ant
the best Indian corn. Flax seed il
the proportion of one bushel to 100 OF
corn, is also part Of the rations The
different components are combined
ground up and thoroughly cooked by
steam. After cooking cut hav i.
mixed with the mass which is carried
in one-horse carts direct to the feeding
troughs. The food so prepared is yer,
thoroughly assimilated. as shown by
the remarkable gain which Mr.. G. II
Pope, one of the resident manager.
gave approximately as 800 lbs. pei
head for % days feeding, or slight,
oyer four pounds per day EACH Nine
pounds of corn and ten pounds of hay
or its equivalent in other combination
was given by Mr.. Pope at the cost o
twelve cents as the daily ration feed
This is certainly remarkably small
ration, especially for the gain per da,
in weight, and exceeds the results oh
tanned by such feeders as John G.. Gil
cite, the Brown Brothers, and othe
extensive feeders and we are inclined
to the belief that the estimate would
hardly be borne out BY the scales, blu
it is given here as it vas given to us
The ration is much less than thos
given in Stewards standard work OF
the feeding of animals.
Large quantities of manure ar
daily produced, and three teams ar
constantly employed hauling it out up
on the red clay land, which has a yer
fine catch OF red and and alsike Glove
and is expected to turn off goo
yield of hay the coming year.
In April, May and June, as the cat
tie come into condition, the fat beeve
will be shipped east and sold, thong
the cities of Duluth & Superior tax
not incolsiderable number. Alto
gether it seems that the experimen
50 far as cheap and rapid fattening ar
concerned is an assured success, and
the profit Is in proportion it may just
ly be assumed that the system of bring
ing Montana frames to Minnesota an
Wisconsin TO be fattened will be ex
tenslyely taken up by our farmers.
Our legislature has passed a biI
making it crime for man to issu
his check on a bank when he has no
got money deposited there to meet
and neglects to put money there for
period Of FIVE days. Such conduc